Some S.F. bars testing out facial detection

Bar patrons will be getting their cocktails with a garnish of facial detection technology at some San Francisco venues this weekend.

SceneTap, social app that relies on software to capture the demographics and popularity of a spot, will launch in 25 bars and restaurants in San Francisco on Friday, company officials said.

Hidden sensors will discreetly record the age and gender of the people entering and leaving and broadcast that information out to SceneTap users so that they can make an informed decision about going to that venue based on how crowded it is, the male-to-female ratio or the age range, said CEO Cole Harper.

Critics say the app is intrusive and “creepy,” but Harper argued that it’s just a way for venues to better focus their advertising efforts.

The sensors won’t record faces or capture any personal information, and the technology is a form of facial “detection” rather than recognition, he said.

Elizabeth Wells, manager of the Mission District’s Southpaw BBQ, one of the 25 launching the app on Friday, acknowledged the criticisms, but said she didn’t think it would any creepier than apps asking users to “check in” and tell their friends where they are.

“Any time you’re actually checking in, you’re making it known where you are,” she said. “For SceneTap, from my understanding of it, it’s just understanding the demographic, understanding how busy it is. I think there are so many other social applications out there that are so much more ‘Big Brother.’”